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Pu`u poa, United States

Stay in Hanalei: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of Hanalei

All 11 on Hanalei's map

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Hanalei, Kauai HI
Hanalei, the nearest town, 2 km away. Photo: Caracas1830, CC BY-SA 2.5, Wikimedia Commons

About Pu`u poa

Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.

The spot faces N (346°), so it takes swell from the N. The wind blows offshore from the S (166°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–9 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves moderately: 10 m deep about 300 m out (1 in 32). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would crumble. The sea is about 24°C in February, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 27°C in August, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually April, May, June and September, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Hanalei, 2.2 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 3 surf spots and 2 wind sports spots.

Water about 27°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

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From Chicago: about 15 h 10 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), direct.

    See flights ORD → HNL · Skyscanner from about £420 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 3 h 35 from the airport to Pu`u poa.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in HanaleiAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Surf lessons in Hanalei · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Hanalei · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Pu`u poa on Google Maps · Directions

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One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small

DayScoreSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct364 ft7 smushy170kJ25°C
Mon 19Oct304 ft6 smushy97kJ25°C
Tue 20Oct344 ft7 smushy140kJ25°C
Wed 21Oct355 ft6 smushy154kJ26°C
Thu 22Oct534 ft6 smushy117kJ26°C
Fri 23Oct423 ft6 smushy69kJ26°C
Sat 24Oct292 ft7 smushy53kJ25°C
Sun 25Oct614 ft8 scrumbling183kJ25°C
Mon 26Oct574 ft7 smushy112kJ26°C
Tue 27Oct674 ft11 scrumbling403kJ25°C

Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Direct flight ORD to HNL, then 3h 35 by road. About 15h 10 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Surf Hanalei Bay

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 4 ft at 7 s, wind 8 kn (14 km/h).

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Surf Hanalei Bay

    Best 14:00 to 17:00 local time: 5 ft at 6 s, wind 8 kn (15 km/h).

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Surf Pu`u poa

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 4 ft at 6 s, offshore wind.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Surf Anini Beach- Wires

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 6 s, offshore wind.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 2 ft at best.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight ORD to HNL, then 3h 35 by road. About 15h 10 door to door

The plan picks the best of 7 spots near Hanalei each day: Anini Beach- Wires, Bobo's Haena, Cannons, Hanalei Bay, Pu`u poa, Tunnels, Waikokos.

The trip from Hanalei, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £1,215–£2,250 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.

WhatHow we worked it outEach
Flightsreturn ORD to HNL, estimated from distance and season, 2 airlines on the route, with a hold bag£420–£870
To the UK airportparking or the train, there and back£35–£65
Hire car6 days, shared£115–£190
Stay6 nights, a mid-range double, shared£270–£455
Food7 days eating out£260–£480
Board and wetsuit5 days, or about £85 to fly your own£115–£190
Total£1,215–£2,250

Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.

Places to eat near Hanalei

Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Surf lessons · GetYourGuide Board and wetsuit hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.